It’s like a coat check for bikes — completely hassle-free and secure! We give you a claim stub, and you give us your bike. After the event, you bring back the stub and we return your bike. Pretty simple.

Is it safe?

Absolutely! We’ve been running the service since 2006, have parked over 180,000 bicycles, and have never lost a single one. However, it’s up to you to keep your ticket safe because we’ll give the bike back to whoever has it.

Can I leave my stuff with my bike?

Definitely. Because we can’t inventory your accessories, we can’t be responsible for them, but anything securely attached to your bike will be safe.

How much does it cost?

It’s free to use- seriously- but don’t forget to let event organizers and sponsors know how important the service is to you!

Do I need a lock?

We ask that you do not lock your bicycle. The site is secure and attended at all times. If you have your lock with you, you’re welcome to leave it with your bike if you don’t want to lug it around.

What if I can’t get back in time to pick up my bike?

When you take your claim check, you’re agreeing to our service terms. If you’re not back to pick up your bike 30 minutes (or otherwise posted time) after the event has ended, you will have to contact us the day following the event to pick up for your bike. There will be a $25 fee for its retrieval.

What if I lose my claim stub ticket?

Don’t. Seriously, just don’t. One of these days we’re going to have ultra-awesome electronic tickets and will be able to scan your forehead, but until then, keep that ticket safe! If you DO manage to lose it, it’s up to the on-site supervisor to handle the issue.

How about my trailer/cargo bike, roller blades or push-scooter?

We love families! And innovative sustainable transportation! We’ll park anything human-powered. Kudos to the guy that paddle-boarded from Kits to Stanley Park! Electric powered devices occupy a bit of a grey area- you’ll have to be really nice to the supervisor.

Will there be delays checking in and out?

We try to be as efficient as possible. Events where everyone is trying to leave at one time may produce a bit of a line. In this case, chill out, talk to the person behind you, and be glad you’re not trying to maneuver your car out of the multi-level parking garage.

How can I get involved?

Our Valet stations are operated by a combination of staff and volunteers- and we’re always looking for more! Volunteer forms can be found here or contact us for more information. Have you heard about our legendary parties yet?

Who operates this amazing service?

The Bicycle Valet is a social enterprise of BEST (Better Environmentally Sound Transportation).

Update: We’ve been parking bikes and keeping ‘em safe since 2006. Since then, we’ve been continually trying to improve our service to encourage more people to ride their bikes to events. So, we’ve been asking for your feedback through online surveys. Here are a few of the most common suggestions for improvements- and our responses:

“Sometimes there can be a bit of a line up at the end to get our bikes”. Fair enough. Particularly at events where everyone is leaving at the same time, it can be hard to have enough team members to return bikes as fast as we would like.

“Why aren’t you at more events?” We would love to be. At every event, ever. Our model is free for you, paid by event hosts. Not every event is ready yet to pay for the service, but as soon as they do, we’ll be there. You can help by asking the event for us. We serviced 200 event days in 2016.

“Sometimes you run out of room for bikes and that sucks”. You’re right. Sometimes that happens. We try to accurately anticipate how many bikes we’re going to get at each event and how much space we’ll need, but sometimes way more people ride than we thought. Or we just aren’t given enough space to work with.

“It can be a little hectic and confusing trying to check our bikes in at really popular events”. Fair enough. We try to provide t-shirts to all our team members so you know who belongs. Also, this year we experimented with a separate drop off and pick up entrance at Granville Island on Canada Day, and that seemed to work super well!

“You should advertise where you’re going to be more”. We post every event on our website calendar, and promote our service on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. But most results show that people look mostly to event websites for the information. We provide a media kit and encourage event organizers to promote the service as much as possible, but sometimes they get too busy!

“This is the most amazing service ever”. Thank you! It’s comments like this that keep us running around for you!

“You should have a water station to fill up our water bottles”. That’s something to think about.

“You should have air on site to pump up tires”. We try to always have a pump on site, but don’t make any promises. You can always ask though!

“Do we need to lock up our bikes inside?” No you don’t! We always have staff members looking after your bikes and we have never lost a bike having parked over 180,000! Your bike is very safe with us.

“I had no idea The Bicycle Valet was going to be here! I would have cycled if I did…” If you’re planning on going to an event and thinking about taking your bicycle, make sure to check our calendar of events to see if we are going to be there!